Question about upgrading from Spybot 1.2 to 1.3

[wylbur37]

According to recent discussions, if you already have version 1.2 and
you want to go to version 1.3, the best approach is to first uninstall
1.2, then install 1.3 (as opposed to installing 1.3 *over* 1.2, which
is apparently not recommended).

The FAQ on the Spybot website has a separate uninstall information
page which includes the following interesting paragraph ...

If you want to completely get rid of Spybot-S&D 1.3 (also 1.2) and
the Add/Remove doesn't help, you can delete the installation folder
(usually C:\Program Files\Spybot - Search & Destroy 1.3\), then
download this very small fix and execute it (it will remove all
remains from the registry) (this also applies to earlier versions).

The phrase "this very small fix" is a link to the following ...
http://spybot.eon.net.au/files/remove-spybotsd-settings.reg

If the above file is of extension "reg" and not "exe",
how are we supposed to "execute" it as instructed?
(Do we just go into Start->Run and type it in as if it were
an exe file?)

 

[Euclid]

According to recent discussions, if you already have version 1.2 and
you want to go to version 1.3, the best approach is to first uninstall
1.2, then install 1.3 (as opposed to installing 1.3 *over* 1.2, which
is apparently not recommended).

The FAQ on the Spybot website has a separate uninstall information
page which includes the following interesting paragraph ...

If you want to completely get rid of Spybot-S&D 1.3 (also 1.2) and
the Add/Remove doesn't help, you can delete the installation folder
(usually C:\Program Files\Spybot - Search & Destroy 1.3\), then
download this very small fix and execute it (it will remove all
remains from the registry) (this also applies to earlier versions).

The phrase "this very small fix" is a link to the following ...
http://spybot.eon.net.au/files/remove-spybotsd-settings.reg

If the above file is of extension "reg" and not "exe",
how are we supposed to "execute" it as instructed?
(Do we just go into Start->Run and type it in as if it were
an exe file?)

A .reg file modifies the registry when you run it. So you can do it that
way using Start>Run. Or simply doubleclick the .reg file to execute it.

If you know what you're doing with a .reg file, it works fine, and there's
no danger. But if you don't know what you're doing, you can screw up your
computer.

So I would suggest first backing up the registry, either in total or by
exporting the section which the .reg file will modify. And/or, if you're
running windows XP, make a system restore point first.

You can read a .reg file with any text editor, such as notepad, and it's
fairly easy to understand - if it's a small file. But if it's big, then that
won't be very practical.

I don't know about this particular .reg file related to SpyBot-S&D. I didn't
use it when I upgraded and have had no problems. As a rule of thumb, I
always uninstall old versions before installing the latest version - unless
the instructions say otherwise.
-E

 

[Miles Fromier]

The phrase "this very small fix" is a link to the following ...
http://spybot.eon.net.au/files/remove-spybotsd-settings.reg

If the above file is of extension "reg" and not "exe",
how are we supposed to "execute" it as instructed?

Unfortunate wording on their part, but most people equate "executing" with "double-clicking" so that is what is meant.
Double-clicking the regfile will cause the registry editor to incorporate the data within the regfile into the registry adding
or removing keys and/or data.

(Do we just go into Start->Run and type it in as if it were
an exe file?)

Yes, it would be just like a text file (*txt) causing notepad to open and display the data except that the data is
written to the registry instead of to the screen. It is really notepad or regedit that is being executed, not *.txt
or *.reg when file association by extension is being used.

[Win98]

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\regfile\shell\open\command
[regedit.exe "%1"]
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\txtfile\shell\open\command
[C:\WINDOWS\notepad.exe "%1"]

The only real difference is the program being fed the data.